“Voices on Social Justice” campaign launched by the ILO

GENEVA (ILO News) – The International Labour Organization (ILO) has launched a new global campaign Voices on Social Justice, to provide a global platform for perspectives on social justice today and how it might be achieved particularly through the world of work.

The campaign is part of global events marking the second World Day for Social Justice on 20 February, and will bring together in one place diverse voices and views from around the world on the meaning of social justice, especially in times of global economic crisis.

“The current economic and jobs crisis has made our continuing struggle for social justice harder and even more urgent,” said ILO Director-General Juan Somavia. “It is vital that we raise our voices to promote a fairer society. This forum provides an opportunity to do exactly that.”

On 19 February an initial series of video interviews on social justice will be available featuring Mr. Somavia, Mr. Guy Ryder, General Secretary of the International Trade Union Confederation, (ITUC), Mr. Antonio Peñalosa, Secretary General of the International Organization of Employers (IOE), her Excellency Ambassador Maria Nazareth Farani Azevêdo, Permanent Representative of Brazil to the United Nations Office and other International Organizations in Geneva, Pascal Lamy, Director-General of the World Trade Organization, and Professor Alain Supiot.

“One of the best ways to get to social justice is decent work: the dignity of work, the dignity of the human being, the stability of the family, peace in the community – that is what decent work is about” Mr. Somavia said.

ITUC General Secretary Guy Ryder said, “Too many governments, too many societies are willing to say as long as two thirds of the people in the world are doing OK, we can more or less dispense with the other one third. I think all of us have to join together and say nobody is dispensable. We have a collective, shared responsibility to make sure that everybody shares in progress and increased welfare”.

Secretary General of the IOE Mr. Antonio Peñalosa said, “In order to achieve social justice you need to have something to distribute, such as wealth and jobs. They have to come from growth, and reflect a country’s economic reality. That’s why we think that social justice and growth go hand in hand, that one cannot exist without the other”.

More voices will be added throughout the year. In addition, the site provides links to other websites and documents regarding social justice.

The Web site can be viewed by clicking or pasting this link /www.ilo.org/socialjustice into your browser.